Natural Extract Fermentation Centrifugation Solvent Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for obtaining natural extracts, oleoresins, colorants, aromas, and flavors from spices and vegetables often involve the use of organic solvents and high temperatures, leading to oxidation, destruction of thermolabile components, and residual solvent issues, which compromise product quality and safety.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses sodium hypochlorite washing, gentle milling, sifting, fermentation, and centrifugation to separate and concentrate natural extracts without solvents, maintaining low temperatures to preserve components, and includes scalding for paprika to prevent pigment oxidation, resulting in high-pigment paprika oleoresins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If organic solvents are used for extraction, then extraction efficiency is improved, but health risks from solvent residues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes harmful organic solvents from the extraction process, replacing them with water and food-grade additives. This eliminates solvent residues while maintaining extraction efficiency through alternative mechanisms using water-soluble substances and controlled fermentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the extraction parameters from organic solvent-based to water-based systems with controlled pH, temperature, and fermentation conditions. This parameter transformation allows efficient extraction of aromatic components without introducing harmful residues.
2Productivity
If high temperatures are used for dehydration, then dehydration efficiency is improved, but thermolabile components are destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high-temperature dehydration to low-temperature drying processes. This allows moisture removal while preserving thermolabile aromatic components, vitamins, and pigments that would otherwise be destroyed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces thermal dehydration mechanisms with alternative drying methods that do not rely on high heat, such as air drying or low-temperature vacuum drying, thereby preserving heat-sensitive components.
3Device complexity
If air drying is used for dehydration, then equipment complexity is reduced, but oxidation of aromatic components occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces inert or controlled atmosphere conditions during the drying process, protecting aromatic components from oxidation while using simple drying equipment. This may involve controlling oxygen exposure or using protective coatings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the oxidation hazard by controlling the drying environment to prevent contact between aromatic components and oxidizing agents, maintaining simplicity in equipment while eliminating harmful oxidation effects.
4Speed
If mechanical dehydration is used, then processing speed is improved, but color and flavor components are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical stress parameters during processing to gentler conditions that maintain processing efficiency while preserving color and flavor components. This includes optimizing milling, pressing, and drying parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces harsh mechanical dehydration methods with gentler alternative processes that achieve moisture removal without the mechanical stress that causes loss of aromatic components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively prevents oxidation and color loss, achieves high pigment concentration in paprika, and ensures the quality of natural extracts by avoiding solvent residues and high temperatures, producing high-quality, safe products for food, perfumes, and cosmetics.
Implementation Method 1
washing the fresh agricultural product with a sodium hypochlorite diluted solution to a considerable reduction of the content in dirt residues, pesticide residues, fungicide residues, herbicide residues, fertilizer residues, insects, rodent hairs, bacteria, fungi and other unwanted substances
Implementation Method 2
The pulp phase is transferred to fermentation tanks where, by natural fermenting and enzymatic action or an action induced by added enzymes and/or microorganisms, the walls of the microcells which contain the natural extracts, oleoresins, colorants, aromas and flavors are broken down
Implementation Method 3
a second centrifugation process, where the natural extracts, oleoresins, colorants, aromas and flavors, carried in a liposoluble phase, are separated from the water, mineral salts, proteins, carbohydrates and other water-soluble substances
Implementation Method 4
The fractions of natural extracts, oleoresins, colorants, aromas and flavors, carried in fatty acids, glycerins, phospholipids, resins and other natural fatty substances, i.e., the liposoluble phase, are subjected to a pasteurization process to remove microorganisms
Implementation Method 5
The fractions of water, mineral salts, proteins, carbohydrates and other water-soluble substances can be concentrated by evaporating the water or they are discarded
Data Source
AI summary
A method for obtaining natural extracts, oleoresins, colorants flavors and aromas from aromatic plant substances, alfalfa, flowers with pigments, and vegetables, which includes washing the plant substances and vegetables, rinsing with water, milling and sifting the resulting product yielding a pulp phase and a cellulose phase. The pulp phase is transferred to fermentation tanks and a first centrifugation of the fermented pulp phase is then performed yielding two phases: phase (A) containing water, mineral salts and other water-soluble substances, with natural extracts, oleoresins, colorants, aromas and flavors and phase (B) in the form of a paste in which the moisture has been reduced to 50%, performing a second centrifugation of the mentioned phase (A), which causes the separation of natural extracts, oleoresins, colorants, aromas and flavors from the water and other water-soluble substances.